Palestinian leaders meet top candidate for PM

GAZA, Nov 18 (Reuters) Palestinian leaders met a key candidate for prime minister in Gaza today, suggesting progress was being made toward naming a unity government that could overcome a Western aid blockade, officials said.

It was the first time Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of the ruling Hamas faction had met together with Mohammed Shbair since he agreed last week to be nominated to head a joint government.

None of the leaders made any statements after the hour-long meeting held at Abbas's office in Gaza, in which the leaders had been expected to exchange views on policy issues.

However, Abbas adviser Nabil Abu Rdainah told Al Arabiya television after the talks he hoped talks for a unity government would be concluded later this month. A Hamas official said the same earlier yesterday.

Shbair, 60, a former head of the Islamic University in Gaza, is seen as close to Hamas. Though he has agreed to be named, Shbair has not yet been formally nominated as prime minister.

Palestinian negotiators have made progress on other fronts toward piecing together a unity coalition, having agreed to divide up 24 ministries, though they have yet to decide on which portfolios each party would hold, officials have said.

Palestinians have sought to put together a unity government to help end a Western aid boycott on the Hamas-led coalition elected last January.

The Quartet of West Asia peace brokers has demanded Hamas recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace deals with the Jewish state as a condition for the United States and Europe renewing financial links with the Palestinian government.

Hamas has said that any unity government it joins would not recognise Israel's right to exist.

Earlier today, Deputy Palestinian Prime Minister Naser al-Shaer of Hamas said rival factions had agreed the unity government's programme would be separate from that of Hamas, though he did not give further details.

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